Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 444 Markin reloading bullets?

I inherited a Marlin 444 from a relative who cannot shoot these Big Bores anymore. I am trying to find reloading supplies like bullets and brass. I got one box of Hornady LeverR from him but want to get some bullets and brass. Where are you buying these bullets and brass from? I'd like to try some Speer bullets but cannot seem to find any. What bullet weight would you suggest for the 444Marlin? Speer lists 240, 270 and 300 bullet weights, what would you suggest to try first (I may but two weights if I can find them.) And is Hornady brass good for reloading? I am fixing to get a scope on this lever.

The SN of this Marlin shows 231228xx and its an older Marlin.

Thanks for any info on where to order the stuff. BTW hope to order all of this from one place but that is probably not doable.

Ok. Guess there ain't none bullets to be had. So I will just forget about the rifle until summer.

You can use .44 pistol bullets if I'm not mistaken.

Yeah, you can use pistol bullets. I use 240 XTPs. A lot of guys use cast bullets toward the heavy end, like 260-300 or heavier.

valad, if your 444 is older there is ia good chance it is a microgroove barrel, twisted 1/38 (the newer 444s are Ballard rifled 1/20).

You can load pretty much any of the .429-.430" dia pistol bullets. As far as cast bullets go, some say they are not so good in a microgroove, others say they work ok, so you will probably have to experiment and see what works.

If you do have a 1/38 twist, the max bullet weight you will likely have good accuracy with will be in the 270-300 gr range. If you have a Ballard 1/20, there are cast offerings up to 400gr that can be used.

If you look up Beartooth Bullets you will find a lot of cast options and forum info.

Valad;
You can have some fun with that rifle using some of the light weight 44 mag jacketed bullets with light loads of pistol for low recoil plinking load.
Have fun.
Jim

Valad,

As you probably know its tough to find anything right now, but the bullets I've been seeing in my part of the world consistently are the Hornady XTP's. I've got a good load worked up for one of my 444's using that bullet, but I prefer the Speer 300 grain Uni Cor. They have been impossible to find anywhere, but I laid in a supply a few years ago so I just sit on what I have and use them sparingly.

If you don't drive them at top velocities the 240 grain flavors will work fine for deer and they can be found in my area. I laid in a bunch for my 44 mags.

I hope you find components during this crazy time because you sure received a fine rifle.

Best powders for me are Re 7, H 322, and H 4198. Good luck!!

First of all does your 444 have ballard or microgroove rife lings?
The dogma states microgrooves will struggle stabilizing over 300 grains. I have a microgroove and shoot hornady 300 xtp, and some barnes original 300 grains. I have used h4895 and h 4198. I would look on gunbroker and fell into a bunch of ammo. I tried to pay under 1.25 a round. Go to marlin owners .com and you will find a great group of triple 4 aficionados. They know way more than me!
They have a thread on bullet performance, and lots of reloading recipies. I have not been able to find any speer bullets lately but the 290 grained ones were rated very high in performance.

It is also my impression that the hornady lever whatever brass is shorter than standard brass.

I have a 444 lever gun. I had the best results with the Hornady 265 gr flatpoints. I am not sure without digging out my recipes which powders I used. I have a picture somewhere of a 6 shot group. 5 of them were in one ragged hole the size of a 50 cent piece.. and I yanked the other one low and left about an inch. I have been looking everywhere for more bullets but none to be found. Hornady still has them listed in their catalog. I have a box of lever evolution that printed a very nice group but about 1.25 inches higher at 100 yards. And if you use regular brass to load the flextip bullets...you need to shorten the brass. Its all listed in the Hornady reloading book.

i'll second the hornady 265 gr fp's.fortunately i have small supply and the gunshop has a few more available.

I've got a 444SS Marlin which has the 1:38 twist. The 265gr Hornady is a great bullet out this rifle. I've also used the 330gr Beartooth which has to be driven pretty hard to get accuracy out of it. The bullet I mostly use now is the Sierra 250gr FPJ which is surprisingly good. It's accurate, expands at 444 speeds without coming apart, and I can use it in my Redhawk and Win 94 Trapper.